Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray is expected to miss at least a small portion of the 2023 NFL season while recovering from a torn ACL suffered in December.
Steve Keim, the general manager who drafted Murray first overall in 2019, has opened up on what Murray needs to do to get better.
Cardinals lineman Kelvin Beachum recently stated that he felt that Murray needed to “grow up a little bit.”
Speaking on the Green Light with Chris Long podcast, Keim, who stepped down as Arizona’s general manager following the 2022 season, echoed the sentiments of Beachum.
“He still needs to grow. (Beachum’s comments are) not slanted toward his character,” Keim said, H/T ArizonaSports.com. “He’s not a bad guy. He’s a good kid, has a good smile, has a nice way about him. I think it’s like anything, guys have to continue to learn what it’s going to take to be great. Does he know what Tom Brady and Peyton Manning knows of what it takes to be great? No.”
The Cardinals controversially included a provision requiring Murray to watch film in his most recent contract. After receiving a lot of backlash, that was removed. Despite that, Keim emphasized that it’s an area Murray still can improve on.
He also expressed optimism that it will happen.
“Does he work? He does work,” Keim added. “I think it’s just that side of the game, the film study, the attention to detail part that he can continue to improve upon. And I think he will. Kyler’s a proud guy, man. He doesn’t want to lose and he doesn’t want to let people down.”
Murray has enjoyed a nice career. He was the Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2019 and made the Pro Bowl in 2020 and 2021. He’s shown a lot of potential. But that hasn’t led to a lot of team success.
Arizona is 25-31-1 in Murray’s starts. The Cardinals reached the playoffs in 2021 but were eliminated in the first round against the Los Angeles Rams. In that game, Murray was 19-for-34 for 137 yards passing with no touchdowns and two interceptions. He carried the ball two times in that game for only six yards.
Time will tell how Murray recovers from his injuries. If he bounces back well, he’s shown that he can be a good quarterback. But there’s plenty of work to be done before we’ll know if he’s a great one.
